Method and machine for spreading core material



F. FAHRNI METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SPREADING CORE MATERIAL Filed Jan. 9.1951 Dec. 7, 1954 5 Shees-Sheet 1 ATTORNE 1( Dec'. 7 1954 F. FAHRNIMETHOD AND MACHINE FOR SPREADING CORE MATERIAL Filed Jan. 9. 1951 JIZINVENTOR. FRED FAHRNI BY H ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1954 F. FAHRNI METHOD ANDMACHINE FOR SPREADING CORE MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 Filed Jan. 9,1951 JNVENTOR. FRED FAHRNL WML/7W ATTURNEX F.'FAHRN1 A 2,696,330

METHOD AND MACHINE Fox SPREADING coRE MATERIAL Dec. 7, 1954 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9, 1951 ,9.0i @Nl .MNE .MEME\\\\\\,\m\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Dec. 7, 1954 F. FAHRNI 2,696,330

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SPREADING CORE MATERIAL Filed Jan. 9, 1951 5sheets-sheet 5 BY O57 ATTORNEY United States Patent O IWETHOD ANDMACHINE FOR SPREADING CORE MATERIAL Fred Fahrni, Zurich, SwitzerlandApplication January 9, 1951, Serial No. 205,109 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-196)This invention relates to scattering, spreading and distributing methodsand machines, and particularly to chip and shaving scattering, spreadingand distributing machines for spreading and distributing layers ofshavings, chips and fragments of wood and other materials on a tray orother receiving surface.

There has been tiled concurrently with the tiling of the presentapplication by the same inventor, two other applications now bearingSerial Nos. 205,108 and 205,110 and entitled Operating Mechanisms forSpreading Machines and Method and Apparatus for Surface MaterialSpreading, respectively, each of which discloses and claims subjectmatter which is disclosed but not claimed in the present application.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a method and meansfor spreading, distributing and depositing single or multiple layers ofwood or other shavings, chips and/or fragments upon an appropriatereceiving surface preparatory to compressing the deposited material intoboards, panels, slabs and sheets of composite wood or the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a layer distributing anddepositing machine of the character indicated which has a supply hopperfor initially receiving the material to be spread and deposited,together with movable means for positively ensuring the spreading of auniform deposit of the material on a shiftable receiving tray adapted tobe displaced from the receiving position to an appropriatte position forcompressing the deposited material by suitable means.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine as indicatedwhich is capable of taking at least two forms generally operating insimilar manner, but in which one form is particularly adapted fordepositing chips and fragments of wood to form a core body orintermediatelayer of a panel or slab, while the other form is especiallysuited for depositing shavings and thin pieces of wood to form surfacelayers of the panels or slabs intended to be forme In other words theinvention involves a core material spreading machine for depositingchips and fragments of vwood and the like in layer form preparatory tocompressing the deposited material into a coherent board or panel core,the machine including substantially horizontal guide means, a travellingmaterial-depositing unit freely movable along the guide means, amaterial-receiving member disposed below the unit and being ofsufficient length to extend beneath the entire path of travel of thetravelling material-depositing unit for receiving the material therefromlayer by layer on the material-receiving member, the travellingmaterial-depositing unit comprising ahopper having a bottom opening, amovable material distributing member operably mounted in the lowerportion of the travelling material-depositing unit in effective positionto control escape of material by gravity from the bottom opening of thehopper, means upon the hopper for operating the movable distributingmember, and independent means for propelling the travellingmaterial-depositing unit as a Whole back and forth on the guide meansabove the material-receiving member.

The invention also involves more specifically a core material spreadingmachine for depositing chips and fragments of wood and the like in layerform preparatory to compressing the deposited material into a coherentboard or panel core, the machine including a pair of supporting rails ofpredetermined length, a removable elongated 2,696,330 Patented Dec. 7,1954 ICC material-receiving member forming a tray disposed substantiallyparallel to the rails, a travelling materialdistributing unit movablysupported on the rails above the tray for depositing the material on thetray layer by layer, and comprising a hopper for initially receiving acharge of thel material having two opposite side walls, a pair of frontand rear Walls connected thereto, a downwardly directed spout mountedbetween the hopper and the tray, one wall of the front and rear wallshaving a lower portion adjustable adjacent to the drum, a series of ribsspaced apart on the peripheral surface of the drum, a pendently movablelower wall portion upon the other of the front and rear wallsterminating with its lower end adjacent to the drum, means for rotatingthe drum and simultaneously oscillating the pendently movable lower wallportion toward and away from the other lower wall portion of the frontand rear walls, and additional means for propelling the travellingmaterial-distributing unit back and forth in opposite directions alongthe rails.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a core material spreading machine madeaccording to the invention and embodying certain salient featuresthereof in a practical form;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same machine as seen from the right inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a traveling material depositingunit of the machine of Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar enlarged side elevation of the same traveling unitwith certain operating members removed to display relations of parts;

Fig. 5 is a similar enlarged View in vertical section as taken on line5-5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a partial horizontal section and partial top plan view takenon line 6 6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation similar to Fig. l, illustrating amodification of the traveling unit thereof while the remaining portionsof the machine are identical with those shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the machine of Fig. 7 as seen from theright;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the modified form of travelingmaterial spreading unit of the machine appearing in Figs. 7 and 8, withcertain near parts removed for greater clarity in showing operatingdetails;

Fig. l0 is a similar enlarged view in vertical section as taken on line10-10 in Fig. 8,'

- Fig. 11 is a section of the initial form of panel made according tothe invention; and

Fig. l2 is a section of the panel in a final stage of manufacture.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same orlike parts.

When making boards, slabs, panels and sheets of composite compressedmaterial, and especially when compressing wooli chips, fragments andshavings to make compressed wooden panels and the like, it is veryimportant to provide a uniform distribution of the chips, shavings orother material upon the entire extent of the surface upon which thematerial is to be pressed and formed. The reason is of course obvious,namely,

.that the finished panel or the like should be uniform in density,strength and thickness throughout, which result would not be achievedWithout initially effecting a substantially even spreading of thestarting material in one or more layers over the mentioned surface,according to the ultimate thickness desired for the panel involved.

Another problem in this connection is to make a composite panel and thelike having the main body or core thereof formed of wood chips andfragments to constitute bulk material, as it were, with the upper andlower sides faced with long ber shavings to present substantially smoothouter surfaces of satisfactory finish and .collar 'is shifted outwardly,

rotatable end of an .spamaso releasing the lower clutc and freeing lowersprockets 73 to mesh idly with the lower chain sections 8. Unitv 53 thentravels toward the left with upper chain sections 7 until cam shifter105 encounters a second block stop 111 adjustably fixed in position byanother screw or bolt second longitudinal slot 113 in rail 15.

As the cam shifter meets stop 111, the cam plates immediately stoptraveling while the unit continues a short distance, causing camfollowers 97, 98 to operate and release the upper clutch and sprocketswhile frictionally locking the lower clutch and sprockets so thatleftward travel of unit 53 with the upper chain section 7 terminates andrightward travel of the same unit immediately takes place. When theshifting member 105 thusencounters stops 108, 111, alternately, itirnmediately causes reversal of the travel of the distributing unit sothat the latter continues to travel back and forth from one end of therails 15, 16 to the other end as long as motor 34 continues to operatethe one or more chains 50.

Thus far, the machine of Figs. 1 to 6 and the modication thereof, shownin Figs. 7 to 10 are substantially identical in all respects, includingoperation, the difierences hereafter to be detailed arising from thenature of the material to be distributed or deposited in shiftable tray22 and consequently of the construction of the spreading or distributingunit including proper facilities for handling the material involved ineach case. For this reason only the numbers referring to unit 53 ofFigs. 1 to 6 differ from those referring to the other unit of Figs. 7 tol0 in order to distinguish the units concerned.

Hence, continuing with thedescription of the machine illustrated in therst six figures for depositing wood chips and fragments to form a coreor main body portion of a panel on tray 22, the frame 54 of unit 53 isfurnished with a pair of interior transverse walls 114, 115 extendingpart way down from the top and secured ybetween side walls 55, 56 toform the upper open end of a hopper. At the lower ends of walls 114, 115are adjustably attached downwardly converging hopper walls 116, 117connected to the upper walls by hinged -members or rods 11S, 119 in suchmanner that the lower ends 4120, 121 of the hopper walls may be shiftedtoward or away from each other. Near the lower end 120 of hopper wall116, the latter is connected at 122 with a adjustable feed shaft orscrew 123 extending in threaded engagement through a cross-bar 124 fixedwithin frame 54. The feed screw 123 is provided with a manually operableexternal knob 125 by which to rotate this screw in order to cause wall116 to approach to ward or recede from wall 11 Below the lower ends ofboth walls 116 and 117 is mounted a ribbed distributing drum 126 on adrum shaft 127 -rotatably mounted in the lower portions of side walls 55and 56. Immediately beneath lower adjustable en'd `120 of hopper wall116 is an outwardly arching depending wall 128 forming a divergentpassage between the same and one side of drum 126 for passing materialdescending by gravity to the latter from the hopper above.

112 extending throughA a The other side of the drum is partly encasedwithink an arcuate shielding wall 129 secured between side walls 55,56'which is, of course, likewise true of depending wall 128. Shieldingwall 129 extends from thc vicinityof lower end 121 of rear hopper wall117 to a point beneath drum 126 where it yjoins the depending wall 1304fixed between walls 55 and 56 and spaced a short ldistance from thelower portion of wall 128 to form a downwardly directed passage 131 forthe material dropping from the drum when the latter is rotatedcounterclockwise.

Both depending passage walls 128 and 130 terminate at the lower bottomwall 132 and are connected thereto so as to form a lower dischargeopening 133 in this bottom wall. To the underside of the latter bottomwall is secured a discharge spout 134 in which the lower discharge port135 is relatively narrow from front to back but from side to side issubstantially as wide as the space between side walls 26 and 27 ofshiftable tray 22.

As the material to be deposited in the tray is of socalled bridgebuilding character, this tendency must, of course, be counteracted inorder to promote an absolutely uniform and continuous downward' feedingof the material through bottom opening 133 and distributing port 135.The ribbed form of 126-.with

its spaced ribs 136 fixed thereon, serves well to feed material whichactually reaches the drum down into the passage 131, but for ensuringthe continuous descent of the material in the hopper to this drum, thelower end 121 of hopper wall 117 is caused to swing or reciprocateconstantly toward and away from the lower en d ofthe opposite hopperwall. In order to effect this result, wall 117V upon its lower externalside is provided with a pivot connection 137 to which an eccentric link138 is connected by pivot pin 139, the link being operably mounted on aneccentric 140 fixed on the eccentric shaft 141, which in turn isrotatably mounted in side walls 55 and 56. Rotation of this ecentricshaft will obviously cause the lower end of hopper wall 117 to swingback and forth on its hinge suspension 119 due to rotation of theeccentric 140, the contents of the hopper being thereby constantlydisturbed and prevented from bridging across from wall 116 to wall 117.The immediate eiiect is that the material freely drops down upon drum126, and during rotation of the latter is fed downwardly thereby in auniform stream or supply determined in amount by the space between thedrum and the upper end of fixed arcuate wall 128.

Upon the right end 142 of unit frame 54 is mounted an electricmotor 143having a drop cable 144 connected thereto from above and communicatingwith an appropriate current source. The motor has a driving pulley 145connected by a belt 146 to a relatively larger pulley 147 fixed on drumshaft 127 for directly rotating the drum from the motor. On the drumshaft, but within pulley 147 is fixed a chain sprocket 148 connected bymeans of chain 149 to a relatively larger chain sprocket 150 iixed oneccentric shaft 141 already referred to. Thus, upon rotation of the drum126 by motor pulley 145, the eccentric 140 is simultaneously rotated ata somewhat lower speed than that of the drum, thereby providing thementioned constant swinging movement of hopper wall 117.

yFrom the foregoing, it is evident that when electric current islsupplied simultaneously to both motors 34 :and 143, the materialdistributing unit 53 will travel back and forth from lone end of theapparatus to the other, `and i-s reversed 4at the end of each movementalong the rails 15 and 16, while material such as wood chips andfragments fed into the hopper formed by walls 55, 56, 114, 115, 116 and117 will be fed downwardly by d-rum 126 through spout 134 at 151 intoshiftable panel tray 22 in such fashion that, during its reciprocatingltravel, the unit Will deposit rst in one direction and then in theopposite direction successive layers of material 152 until the desiredquantity of this material has `been deposited in the tray. When thisresult has been attained, the tray is promptly run 4along the lowerrails 18 and 19 toward a pressure device (not shown) or to anothermachine, as will be explained, and another tray promptly rolled inposition beneath unit 53 Ito be filled -in similar manner to thatalready described.

It is, of cou-rse, obvious Ithat panels of different widths may be mad-eby depositing layers of broken wood material supplied by the hopper, ifdesired. For this purpose, the side wall 56 is provided interiorly witha pair of opposite lugs 153 secured to end walls 114 Iand 115 by meansof screws or bolts 154 extending through horizontal slots 155 in walls114 and 115 in such fashion that upon release of bolts 154 side wall 56may be adjusted toward or laway from opposite side wall 55. Of coursethe construction may also include simil-ar adjustment for side wall 55,if so desired. When the unit 53 reciprocates along rails 15 and 16 fromone end of the apparatus to the other, it encounters the bumpers 65, l66which, due to their resilient cons-truction tend to cushion the unit 'toa stop at each end and resiliently start the unit on its way back `againfromV the individual bumper involved.

The coa-rse wood material 152 deposited in the manner described servesto form the inner or intermediate body portion ofy a composite panelboard or sheet 157 (Fig. ll) and actually constitutes the bulk or mainmass of the panel. In order to provide this panel with a smoothpresentable surface adapted to receive a surface coating or finishapplied thereto as would be done upon the surface of a piece of tinewood, for example, a different form of long libre wood material such aswood shavings is preferably applied to one or both -sides of the panelby pressing `the machine illustrated in Figs.Vmachineislsubstantially.the sameV as rthatvo'f EFzgs. 1 to 6`asv'falready andis,v of course, :intended to form.part andiparcel.thereofl Thus, `.when panel -157' in itslinitial :.form'is'fproduc'edmass of woodtchips andthe like in tray 22,9thelatter' mayk be rolledalongurails' 15', 16l tola 7 to `10. This second 'this unit asIsuchwill'now berspe'cicallynoted.

-As previouslybrought out 'inconnection-with Vtravelling unit 53, the-unit 158 has a-'pair of `parallel iside 'bars 57', 585, provided withflangedwheels-51,52' and transverse shafts as indicated at 61 mounted`in. cross bars as indicated at 59 interconnecting side bars 57', 58intofavrigid unit cap'abierof running on rails 15, 16. Withinthe sidebars, the Itwo opposite hopper' sides 159, 160 are-mounted and connectedto the frontand rear outer unit walls 161, 162 of unit 158. Withinthelatter Vare mounteda xed rear hopper wall 163 secured at lthe lowerend thereof toa crossLbar 164 attached toV the sides 159, 160, whileopposite 'this rear hopper wall is'fpivotally mounted a pendentlyadjustable front hopper wall 165, being-pivotally or hingedly suspendedby means of a hinge structure or rod 166.

For adjustment of the mentioned front wall 165, the

latter is connected to the inner operating end 167 of an adjusting feedscrew 168 by means of Ia bracket 169 securedto wall 165, the feed screwextending th-readedly through an interiorly threaded cross-bar 170jandout throughfront hopper wall 161. Externally of front wall 161, 'thefeed or adjusting screw is provided with a knurl'ed operating knob 1'71by which to turn the feed screw and thereby adjust the lower end ofsuspended inner hopper wall 16S`1asdesired. It is to be noted that thisadjustablehopper wall is shorter than the opposite stationary hopperwall 163 in order to cooperate with a toothed feeding drum 172 xed on adriven drum shaft 173 rotatably mounted in side walls 159, 160 andprovided vwith a series of peripheral one 'way teeth 174 that clear thelower end of adjustable wall 165in any adjusted position of the latter.

Between the `intermediate portions of both hopper walls 163 and 165 ismounted a second shaft 175 above and parallel to drum shaft 173 androtatably supported between side walls 159, 160. are secured a pluralityof beater arms 176'located within the hopperstructure for a purposeabout to be explained. A pair of bearings 177, 178 are secured to thelower exterior portion of rear wall 162 for supporting an eccentricshaft 179 upon which is xed a large pulley 180. To this pulley isconnected ya belt 181 extending from drive pulley 182 of an electricmotor 183 secured t'orthe upper exterior portionof rear wall`16'2. n

Eccentric shaft 179 is provided with a chain Asprocket '184 connected bya'chain 185 to a secon-d chain sprocket 186 rotatably mounted on a studshaft 187 fixed on hopper side wall 159. The last mentioned sprocket 186is -rigidwith a pinion 188 meshing with `a relatively large gear 189fixed on the end of drum shaft 173, which in turn is also provided witha chain sprocket 190. A second sprocket chain 191 interconnects sprocket190' on the'drum shaft with a further chain sprocket 192 xed on beatershaft 175 for rotating beaters 176 simultaneously with the drum when thelatter is driven through chain 185 from sprocket 184, through pinion 189meshing therewith, by way of pulley 180 belt 181 from motor pulley 182of motor 183.

Before detailing the progress Iof material through the `distributingunit, two other features require mention, the tirst involving a `seriesof feeding shafts 193, 194,-195, 196 and within the hopper structureprovided with substantially square distributing rollers 197, 198, 199,200. Upon the inner ends of these shafts are fixed pinions 201, 202, 203and 204 meshing in pairs with two gears 205 "and 206 rotatably mountedon stud. shafts 207 and 208 xed on side wall 159. These two gears 205Iand 206 both mesh with a gear rotatable on a further stud shaft209 andmeshing in turn with the previously men'- tioned' gear189a drumshaft173.

.Thusfrotation of the drum when fdriven' lby'motor through Upon this`second shaft 18s, gear supply 209 agitated by beaters 8 1-83wi11'beaccompanied by'rotation, noton'ly of beaters 176, but Ialso by rotationof all of thesquareroll'ers 1'97, 198,-199and 20?. if aquantity of woodshavings 209- is introduced into. Ithe hopper between walls 159, 160,163 and 165 and the last mentioned wall adjusted by means of screw 168to desired position, starting of driving motor 183 will lcause beaters176 to agitate the shavings constantly and urge them down towards drum172, which rotates counter-clockwise and feeds a constant supply of-shavings down to the square distributing rollers that `also rotate byoperation of the motor and pass the shavings down therebetween to dropon a sifting screen 210` immediately below the lower end 211 ofthe"hopper structure proper.

Sitting screen 210 is provided with a frame 212 lhaving-'a lug213 at itsrear end pivotally connected by an eccentric ylink 214 operatively toanieccentric 215 ixed'on rotatable eccentric shaft 179 also driven bymotor 183, as already outlined. Rotation of the eccentric shaft producesa constant horizontal reciprocation of the sifting screen, and in orderto support this screen movably a group of pendent '1inks21'6, 217-, 218and 2'19'arepivotally mounted at theupper ends' thereof to the unit'sidewalls 159, 160, as forexample, links 216and217 by means of At the `lowerends, all four links are ypivotally connected by pivot pins 222, 223,224 `and 225 to screen frame 212. The latter with its screen proper isthus swingably suspended and readily rocked back and forth beneathrollers 197, 198, 199 and 200 by operation of eccentric 215'to sift anddrop the shavings down through a distributing spout 226 and its lowerconstrictedopening 227 in the form of a constant stream 228 of materialon the initially formed body panel 157 in tray 22 to form a surfacelayer 229 on this panel. This spout 226 may be secured by its upperflange 230 to screen frame 212 in order to swing or oscillatehorizontally with the frame and its screen as illustrated, or yit may berigid with the upper hopper structure as in the case ofthe spout inFigs. 1 to 6, and the screen and frame 'then oscillating in a narrowhorizontal space between the hopper structure andthe spout, if desired.

Hence, when the lower motor 34 is started and the upper motor likewise,and assuming that tray 22 is .in proper receiving position, the entireunit 158 will begin to travel back and forth along rails 15 and 16 whilethe feeding drum 172 feeds the shavings from the hopper 176 past thelowerend of inner hopper wall 165 to the distributing rollers 197, 198,199, 200, whence the material is dropped and scattered on screen 210,which during oscillation sifts the shavings down through spout 226 andits bottom opening on tray 22. As the initially pressed bottom panel isyalready in position in this tray, the shaving layer 229 depositsthereon' until of the proper thickness, when the tray is rolled away topress this layer on the panel and cause it :to adhere thereto.

When the panel has thus been provided with one surface layer 229, thepanel may be turned over so that the deposited surface layer facesdownward with the tray again disposed beneath the travelling unit 158,and the latter caused to deposit a further surface .layer on the upperexposed side of the panel until of the proper .thickness. When the trayis then rolled oif to the-compression apparatus, the newly depositedshaving layer 231.is pressed upon the panel and caused to adhere theretoto form the composite panel 157 provided with the two surface layers 229and 231.

Of course, if desired, the originally formed panel need not be pressedintotinitial form before receiving the rst shaving layer 229, but thetray simply provided with the bulklayer as rst described in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 6, and the tray then rolled to the second apparatus andthe rst shaving layer applied, after which the tray may be rolledto thecompression apparatus to press both deposited layers together to formthe panel unit. The result is then that the panel merely has the bodyportion 157 and integral therewith the one surface layer 229, which maysuce for many purposes as a satisfactory panel. However, if the panelthus kfar made is. turned over and the second shaving layer 231appliedand pressed thereonas already mentioned, a complete panel havingboth sides finished will result.

It is obvious that the wood chips and pieces deposited uponv tray22; inthe first machine may be sprinkled or soakedlwithlglue or somecementitious fluid orsolution Yor gasa-sse 9 even lby plastic material,either' of thermo setting `or thermo plastic character, and thegsaine istrue of the shaving's deposited on the tray in the se cond machine, suchcementing adjuncts forming no part of the present invention andtherefore being an optional feature in conjunction with the operation ofthe machines described.

From the foregoing, it is evident that a composite panel of wood orother material may be built up of onefor more layers of compactedfragments, chips and shavings and the like, with no practical limit tothe thickness of the panel or its layers except as limited bythe'capacity of the receiving tray and the dimensions ,of the apparatusinvolved.

The` invention claimed below is also disclosed in U. S. applicationsSerial Nos. 205,108 and 205,110, both of which were filed on January 9,1951;

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may bemodified or used lwithout others Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

l. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a pair of opposite side walls; a drum locatedin said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, said drum extendingbetween said side walls and being mounted thereon for rotation withinsaid hopper; a pair of opposite iirst end wall portions extendingbetween said side walls and being located vadjacent to said top of saidhopper; a pair of second end wall portions hingedly connected to saidfirst end wall portions, respectively, for movement toward and away fromeach other and converging toward said drum, each of said second end wallportions having a free end located adjacent one of a pair of spacedlocations, respectively, on the periphery of said drum; adjusting meansoperatively connected to one of said second end wall portions foradjusting the position thereof with respect to the other of said secondend wall portions; and reciprocating means operatively connected to saidother second end wall portion for moving the same toward and away fromsaid one second end wall portion and in substantially continuousadjacent relationship with said drum periphery.

2. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a frame; a pair of opposite side walls; adrum located in said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, saiddrurn extending between said side walls and being mounted thereon forrotation within said hopper; a pair of opposite rstend wall portionsextending between said side walls and being located adjacent to sa1d topof said hopper; a pair of second end wall portions hingedly connected tosaid rst end wall portions, respectively, for movement toward and awayfrom each other and converging toward said drum, each of said second endwall portions having a free end located adjacent one of a pair of spacedlocations, respectively, on the periphery of said drum; adjusting meansmounted on said frame and being operatively connected to one of saidsecond end wall portions for adjusting the position thereof with respectto the other of said second end wall portions; and reciprocating meansmounted on said frame and being operatively connected to said othersecond end wall portion for moving the same toward and away from saidone second end wall portion and in substantially continuous adjacentrelationship with said drum periphery.

3. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a frame; a pair of opposite side walls; adrum located in said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, saiddrum extending between said side walls and being mounted thereon forrotation within said hopper; a pair of opposite first end wall portionsextending between said side walls and being located adjacent to said topof said hopper; a pair of second end wall portions hingedly connected tosaid tirst end wall portions, respectively, for movement toward and awayfrom each other and converging toward said drum, each of said second endwall portions having a free end located adjacent one of a pair of spacedlocations, respectively, on the periphery of said drum; adjusting meansmounted on said fran-1e and being operatively connected to one of saidsecond end wall portions for adjusting the position thereof with respectto the other of said second end wall portions; and reciprocating meansmounted on said frame and being operatively connected to said othersecond end wall portion for moving the same toward and away from saidone second Aend wall portion and in substantially continuous adjacentrelationship with said drum periphery, said reciprocating meanscomprising an eccentric disc rotatably mounted on said frame and a linkconnected at one end to said disc and being pivotally connected at anopposite end to'said other second end wall portion.

'4. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a pair of opposite side walls; a drum locatedin said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, said drum extendingbetween said side walls and being mounted thereon for rotation withinsaid hopper; a pair of opposite first end wall portions extendingbetween said side walls and being located adjacent to said top of saidhopper; a pair of second end wall portions hingedly connected to saidiirstend wall portions, respectively, for movement toward and away fromeach other and converging toward said drum, each of said second end wallportions having a free end located adjacent one of a pair ofspaced'locations, respectively, on the periphery of said drum; adjustingmeans operatively connected to one of said second end wall portions foradjusting the position thereof with respect to the other of said secondend wall portions; reciprocating means operatively connected to saidother second end wall portion for moving the same toward and away fromsaid one second end wall portion and in substantially continuousadjacent relationship with said drum periphery; a rst plate located onone side of said drum, extending toward said open bottom of said hopper,and having a top end portion located between said free end of said onesecond end wall portion and said drum; and a second plate located on anopposite side of said drum, leading toward said open bottom of saidhopper and having an arcuate portion located about said drum. f

5. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a pair of opposite side walls; a drum locatedin said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, said drum extendingbetween said side walls and being mounted thereon for rotation withinsaid hopper; a pair of opposite first end wall portions extendingbetween said side walls and being located adjacent to said top of saidhopper; a pair of second end wall portions hingedly connected to saidfirst end wall portions, respectively, for movement toward and away fromeach other and converging toward said drum, each of said second end wallportions having a free end located adjacent one of a pair of spacedlocations, respectively, on the periphery of said drum; adjusting meansoperatively connected to one of said second end wall portions foradjusting the position thereof with respect to the other of said secondend wall portions; reciprocating means operatively connected to saidother second end wall portion for moving the same toward and away fromsaid one second end wall portion and in substantially continuousadjacent relationship with said drum periphery; a rst plate located onone side of said drum, extending toward said open bottom of said hopper,and having a top end portion located between said free end of said onesecond end wall portion and said drum; and a second plate located on anopposite side of said drum, leading toward said open bottom of saidhopper and having an arcuate portion located about said drum and belowthe lowermost portion of the latter.

6. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a pair of opposite side walls; a drum locatedin said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, said drum extendingbetween said side walls and being mounted thereon for rotation withinsaid hopper, said drum having a plurality of projections on its outersurface also extending between said side walls; a pair of opposite iirstend wall portions extending between said side walls and being locatedadjacent to said top of said hopper; a pair of second end wall portionshingedly connected to said rst end wall portions, respectively, formovement toward and away from each other and converging toward saiddrum, each of said second end wall portions having a free end locatedadjacent one of a pair of spaced locations, respectively, on theperiphery of said drum; adjusting means operatively connected to one ofsaid second end wall portions for adjusting the position thereof withrespect to the other of said second end wall portions; reciprocatingmeans operatively connected to said other second end wall portion formoving the same toward and away from said one second end wall portionand in substantially continuous adjacent relationship with said drumperiphery; a first plate located on one side of said drum, extendingtoward said open bottom of said hopper, and having a top end portionlocated between said free end second end wall portion and said drum; anda second plate located on an opposite side of said drum, leading towardsaid open bottom of said hopper and having an arcuate portion locatedabout said drum and below the lowermost portion of the latter.

7. A hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper,comprising in combination, a pair of opposite side walls; a drum locatedin said hopper between said top and bottom thereof, said drum extendingbetween said side walls and being mounted thereon for rotation withinsaid hopper, said drum having a plurality of projections on its outersurface also extending between said side walls; a pair of opposite firstend wall portions extending between said side walls and being locatedadjacent second end wall portions hingedly connected to said rst endwall portions, respectively, for movement toward and away from eachother and converging toward said drum, each of said second end wallportions having a free end located adjacent one of a pair of spacedlocations, respectively, on the periphery of said drum; adjusting meansoperatively connected to one of said second end wall portions foradjusting the position thereof with respect to the other of said secondend wall portions; reciprocating means operatively connected to saidother second end wall portion for moving the same toward and away fromsaid one second end wall portion and in substantially continuousadjacent relationship with said drum periphery; a rst plate located onone side of said drum, extending toward said open bottom of said hopper,and

of said one` to said top of said hopper; a pair of 12 having ,an arcuatetop end portion located about said drum between said free end of saidone second end wall portion and said drum; and a second plate located onan opposite side of said drum, leading toward said open bottom of saidhopper and having an arcuate portion located about said drum, saidsecond plate having a top end located on the opposite side of said othersecond end wall portion from said one second end Wall portion and belowthe lowermost portion of the latter.

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